Flip-flop over FYUP leaves first-year students worried

UGC has asked Delhi University to crunch the four-year course for the present batch to three years

Police used water cannons on anti-FYUP protesters outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office on Saturday. (Source: PTI)

With the University Grants Commission ( UGC) asking DU to do away with FYUP and admissions to the new academic session set to be delayed, it is probably students currently studying the four-year undergraduate programme who are the most affected lot.

In its recent order to DU, UGC has asked the university to conduct admissions under the three-year undergraduate programme and not under the controversial FYUP. The UGC has also decided to constitute a 10-member committee with representations from teachers, students and statutory bodies to advise DU on the implementation of the directive.

According to the directive, the committee would ensure that students, who were admitted in 2013-14, are able to migrate to the three-year programme without any hassle and acquire necessary academic and other competencies during the next two academic years.

But, as the pitch for FYUP rollback gathers steam, not only is there a growing uncertainty among students seeking admission to the university, but also a growing apprehension among those are studying under FYUP.

“I feel like a guinea pig on whom everyone is doing their experiments. The UGC may have formed a committee to help me migrate to a three-year course, but I’m really concerned about how that would happen. Now, I will now have to finish my Honours, not in the next three years, but in two years. I don’t know what I will study or how it will be taught,” Shipra Sharma, who studies in a leading South Campus college, said.

Many students, however, expressed happiness over being able to get their degrees in three years.

“I’m glad that I will now get my degree in three years. It will save me valuable time and, more importantly, the hard-earned money of my parents,” Rahul Mehra, a DU student from Bihar, said.

“We fought DUSU elections last year on the promise of rolling back FYUP and won by a huge margin. Students wanted FYUP to be rolled back, and now it’s going to happen ,” Rohit Chahal, ABVP president, said.

A section of DU teachers also believe that the rollback will be a setback for students admitted to the course last year.

“The batch of students getting admission in the course this year will at least have clear directions. They will know what they are getting into. But for those admitted last year, there is too much at stake. With the UGC changing its stand on the four-year course, these students have become guinea pigs. If a four-year course is now going to be completed in three years, will they have time to study the minor discipline course? Will the fourth year become optional?” a South Campus college teacher said.